- 1 red cabbage (about 700–900g), finely sliced
- Radishes
- 2 carrots, thinly sliced (optional, but adds sweetness and crunch)
- 2% sea salt by weight of the vegetables (e.g. if your prepared vegetables weigh 1kg, use 20g salt)
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
- 1–2 tbsp gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), depending on how spicy you like it
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp fermented miso paste (instead of fish sauce, making it vegetarian)
Slice the cabbage (and radish/carrots if using).
Weigh the vegetables and add 2% salt.
Massage everything for 5–10 minutes until the cabbage softens and starts releasing liquid.
Leave covered at room temperature for about 4 hours.
Mix together the garlic, spring onions, chilli flakes, soy sauce and miso until you have a paste.
Stir the paste thoroughly through the cabbage.
Pack tightly into a clean jar, pressing firmly so the vegetables are submerged beneath their own juices. If needed, top up with a 2% brine (20g salt per litre of water).
Leave at room temperature for 2–5 days, depending on how warm your kitchen is and how tangy you like it. Open the jar once a day if it isn't airlocked to release pressure.
Refrigerate once it tastes pleasantly sour. It will continue to develop flavour over the following weeks.